Velouri Trappers
The Velouri Trappers are a professional guild of hunters, trappers, and craftsmen based in Toshar, named after the Velouri River and surrounding Forest where the founder, a dark elf named Cedar Korthat began her pelt trade in PT1041. Over the last seven centuries, the Velouri Trappers have expanded to the entirety of Toshar and some other parts of the world. In current times, the rapport of the Trappers has reached even farther than their hunting grounds and rangers and nature-folk alike from distant lands seek membership and the chance to hunt in the Velouri Forest. Most worship Kareth and Vosse. Amsera is also honored, but not to same extent as the other two. The Velouri Trappers are currently under the purview of their wood elf Capyb Endrgor Riverdale. Popular Prayer Kareth’s Meal Prayer. Kareth is honored in formal prayer by the trapper(s) who procures the ingredients from nature. The prayer is symbolic for the hunter asking for Kareth’s permission to feast on the plants that originated from her cornucopia and the animals she raises on Toshar. Only people who contributed to the meal with their own bounty are required to pray, and its often discouraged to pray to Kareth if the meal was not from their own harvest or catch. Vosse’s Guidance Prayer vosse vidi vici Vosse is worshipped because not only do trappers have to find the path’s of animals they track, they need to find their own way around the wilderness of Toshar. Whenever a trapper seeks spiritual guidance, they recite this short sentence prayer and then follow it up with a question or an action. It is said that Vosse will always respond to the prayer, but we may not always understand his intention or how he answered. Prayer of Refuge to Amsera: Mother Ending, Receive our souls that you may see our cycle complete. To the end all go. To the beginning all go. After ending a trapped prey’s life, the trapper holds their knife that ended the life of the caught animal in the air and recites the prayer towards Amsera in the heavens. This prayer must be given before the trapper begins to butcher the animal. The prayer is a way to safely release the spirits of any recent deceased animals so they may find their way back to Amsera will give the spirit to her brother Zakar to find it new life. Hierarchy of Velouri Capyb The leader of the guild. They often have to stop trapping to take the responsibility of managing the guild. The name originating from the Capybara due not only their large presence in the guild, but the forced passivity of management. When a Capyb goes on a expedition, it usually carries significance and often news of the hunt spreads to external members out on hunt. Coypu Hunters who have caught a Velouri Snapperjaw from the Lake Velou. Are allowed to take on a Degu. Alongside mentorship, they are allowed to take more specialized and revered roles in the guild. Coypu are allowed to vote on matters that concern the overall well-being of the guild. Paca Hunters who have left their senior, either because the Coypu felt he taught them enough, the Coypu died, or the Coypu decided to abandon their Degu. This is the highest rank one can achieve without catching a Velouri Snapperjaw. * Pacarana: A Degu normally becomes a Paca because of the explicit decision of their Coypu. If something happens to the Coypu that causes the Degu to lose their mentor other than the express consent of the Coypu, such as death or other abnormal hunting incident, the Degu still officially become a Paca. But as the Degu is often inexperienced, they are colloquially known as a Pacarana instead. Degu The lowest official level of the guild. Achieved once you are given apprenticeship by a Coypu. Achieving this rank gives the trapper full access to the Velouri facilities that Tucos do not have access to. These are the armoury, the records hall, and the inner guildhall. They also receive a patch of the Velouri, a leather branded patch that is caught and crafted by their Coypu mentor. Tuco The rank for persons who been given permission to seek apprenticeship, but do not have a senior Coypu to mentor them. All persons seeking entry to the Velouri Trappers must go through apprenticeship, no matter how skilled they are. Tucos are not considered members of the Velouri, but have access to the Velouri Trapper’s lodge to learn the trade as well as the ability to sell in their trade hall. As a symbol of their rank, they receive a spiraled Tuco tail pin that has the Velouri brand burnt into it. These tail pins only last approximately a year before falling apart. When a Tuco’s pin falls apart, they must reapply for membership. Members of the Velouri will use the term Tuco in a derogatory way to insult them. When a member wants a Tuco to leave, they will say “Go Tuc-Tuc away” which refers to the the noise a Tuco mouse makes when it starts to burrow. Professions Resource Gathers Trapping The original art. Animal trapping, or simply trapping, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. The many rivers and forests around the Lake Velouri provide for many trapping routes. Most popular trapping art. Tracking While traditional trapping has the hunter placing many stationary devices along animal pathes to acquire their catch, tracking requires the hunter to be mobile and actively track down their prey. Akin to real world hunting with bows & arrows. Fishing While other arts focus on land creatures, fishing focus on aquatic creatures. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping. 2nd most popular trapping art. Foragers Foragers focus on gathering flora. While not focused on capturing animals, foragers play a crucial role in Trapper society. The plants and mushrooms they gather are used not only for substience and bait, but are often key components for various hunting toxins and alchemical tools. Behemoth Hunting Sometimes big creatures threaten civilization. While rarer than your typical deer or wolves, individuals in the Velouri Trappers have taken in upon themselves to hunt the big game. As the time has passed, what was once an individual effort has evolved to a squad-based strategy and full profession within the Trappers. Least popular trapping art Tradesmen There are also various tradesmen who live amongst the trappers, or were former trappers themselves. Cooks, leatherworkers, alchemists, blacksmiths and carpenters all do work out of the Velouri Trappers' trade halls. Notable Members Capyb Endrgor Riverdale, Wood Elf. Age 147. An older elf who has caught his fair share of game in his many moons. Coypu Er Flatbender Human. Age 46. Former Coypu mentor to Natish. Kaaenyl Bluegrove Wood Elf. Age 99. A patient elf who took Augmahg on as a Degu almost immediately upon finding him at the river. Her current Degu is Sofus. Paman Handhunter Agu-Viaga Goliath. Age 45. Known for catching the famed Velouri Snapperjaw fish with just his bare hands. Jackal Laugh Kenku. Uses mimicry to assist his trapping. Known for his Jackal laugh, that he uses to scare small game into the direction of his traps. Ro-Dak Rihkuld Human. Age 57. Lost his Degu over a decade ago when the Degu attempted to hunt a Velouri Snapperjaw. Blames himself and hasn’t taken another Degu apprentice since. Paca Calzu Bitterclang Gnome. Age 26. Calzu often tries to build mechanical contraptions that exploit nature’s bounty. He has little respect for the laws of the Velouri Trappers and does not respect nature. Skirts the boundary of the laws, so as not to be expelled. One of the more prosperous trappers. Almost caught a Velouri Snapperjaw, but was stopped by Natish and Augmahg. Natish Tiefling. Age 24. Augmahg Age 22. Degu Sofus Reynaldsson Human. Age 15. Kaaenyl’s Degu. Has been a Degu for approx. 5 months now. Often times too impatient to wait for his traps to work normally, and is often trying to find ways to speed up the process of animals stumbling into his traps. It has yet to work. Grygrom Dwarf. Age 24. Paman Handhunter’s Degu. Tuco Hans Stivrudz Age 11. A young noble boy from Castle Toshar. He’s the 4th son of a prominent merchant family. His father sent him here to hopefully open a business opportunity between Stivrudz and the Velouri Trappers. Wrancan Presmaer Age 110. Wood Elf. Experienced Hunter from Tora. Traveled to Toshar to achieve the prestige of being a Velouri Trapper. Refuses to stoop down to the lowly rank of Degu and be an apprentice, and likewise no Coypu wants to have a egotistical Degu. Is attempting to sway Endrgor to promote him instantly to Coypu by catching a Velouri Snapperjaw.